musings on reading, running and recreation

Nugget Sensei (my father) and I spent a photography day together. We geared up for a sunny day shooting the snow-covered waterfalls. The previous few days had been unseasonably warm so the falls were flowing fast. Although the day produced about 200 pictures, below are a few of the best. Nugget Sensei says if you end the day with 2 or 3 great shots, it was a success.

These falls are a few short steps from the parking area and easy to access. We made this stop first in the morning and we ended up shooting directly into the sun; not the ideal situation. Nugget Sensei has these awesome lens filters to cut the light and get the nice smoothing effect. I took one shot with his lens and then I had to improvise. Next time we’ll try the afternoon/evening for better directional light.

Lunch Locale – We stopped at an excellent hole-in-the-wall deli (Lino’s Market), grabbed a sandwich and headed over to the Goodspeed Opera House lawn. Not only is it a perfect place to take a break, the scenery and swing bridge are great photo ops right on the Connecticut River.

These falls are also easily accessible and close to the parking area, however this park offers more trails and acreage, and is very well-utilized. Again, Nugget Sensei comes through by thinking outside the box on how to get the shot, i.e. sometimes fences need to be hurdled. After shooting the falls we ventured down to a covered bridge, a New England classic.

Notably Nuggets:

Grey Skies = Better Waterfall Photos – While the blue bird day we had was good for our vitamin D intake, it was nasty for shooting photos. The reflection of the sun off of the water was tough to combat. However, it forced some improvisation, experimentation and education. As Nugget Sensei says, “It’s about the journey.” FOR REAL. I learn a few new tricks every time… and somehow find a need for additional equipment.

Three Legs – A tripod was key for successfully capturing these waterfalls, which was another lesson learned. The three-legged steady assistant pulled through for me in more ways than one. Lesson learned: ALWAYS bring the tripod along. It now lives strapped to the side of the camera bag.